The vision for the Centre for Healthy Aging at Providence began in 1999, the International Year of the Older Person. Founded by Dr. Akber Mithani, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Providence Health Care, his vision was derived from his concern about the lack of integration within the health care system and his passion for quality care for the elderly. The Centre was designed with the philosophy of partnering with different agencies to promote systems integration and evidence-based change. Since 1999, the Centre's vision has expanded beyond systems integration to include health policy advocacy and outcomes research.